So I'm at the Bouckville show last week, and I'm meeting Gina for lunch, and we're doing one of those classic maneuvers in which we call each other on our cell phones and try to figure out where to meet for lunch when if we'd each of us just looked directly across the street we would have seen each other talking on our cell phones. So meeting was only a matter of me crossing the street.
Which was fortunate because our path to lunch took us past a booth with boxes of Shiny Brites, so we stopped. And I was quickly ready to move on because the price tag on a pretty ordinary striped Shiny Brite was $7, which would make them $84 a dozen, which is a whole lot more than even the most devoted collector would pay.
But it was as if at that very moment the dealer decided to go out of the Christmas ornament business because she said all of the ornaments were a dollar. One dollar. So Gina and I got busy. We were in the right time at the right place.
The woman selling the ornaments mentioned that she had lost interest in them as she got more interested in jewelry. As luck would have it, I happened to have a vintage bracelet in my purse. I had been carrying it around for months with the intention of selling it sometime when the mood struck. I produced the bracelet from my purse. I asked the woman if she liked it. She did. So we traded the bracelet for some of the ornaments.
It all felt quite meant to be.
Pardon my judgement but who in the world 'loses interest in vintage Christmas'!? Good thing she lost it as the two of you arrived and extra points for being prepared with a shiny trinket to trade.
$84 a dozen, indeed!
Posted by: Into Vintage | August 20, 2012 at 12:21 PM
I'm kinda scared that you, Linda, and I all used the word "serendipity" or variations thereof in our blog posts today describing the vintage Christmas.
Now where are the photos from your yard sale?? ;)
Posted by: Gina @ VintageJunkinMyTrunk | August 20, 2012 at 12:50 PM
Heaven! What a lucky day for you both. I'm proud to say that I'm the caretaker of the pretty bulb in the second photograph, lower left hand side. A blessed hand me down from my beloved mom. Now, what I wouldn't give for that red, silent night beauty!
Maureen
Posted by: Maureen | August 20, 2012 at 01:09 PM
Just look at all those indents! You had the junking karma on your side for sure. Great score and loved the story.
Posted by: Kathy | August 20, 2012 at 03:19 PM
You lucky lucky lady. A bracelet for a box of yummy ornaments. Pure genius.
Posted by: Kim Kenward | August 20, 2012 at 03:25 PM
oh my goodness, Serendipity, indeed! Nice Score!
Posted by: Patrice | August 20, 2012 at 05:08 PM
Get out...I can't believe you are this lucky! Just saw a ton of these today at about $5 a piece. How is it at all possible to find all the beautiful feedsacks and all these ornaments. Frowns...Renee
Posted by: Renee | August 20, 2012 at 10:19 PM
It was at that VERY MOMENT that the woman decided to go out of the Christmas ornament business...that is some powerful spell you cast on her! And then to add to the powers of your spell with the bracelet in your purse. That woman did not have a chance...good score!
Posted by: laurie magpie ethel | August 21, 2012 at 12:26 AM
Well that was a good trade ! So sorry that I missed your sale .... I hope you have another some day !
Posted by: Lisa W. | August 21, 2012 at 12:41 AM
Lucky duck! They are quite lovely, I love everything about old ornaments especially when they are still in the box with the cool dividers and the old piece of tissue. (yes, i realize It might not be original bit i can dream...:)
Posted by: m | August 21, 2012 at 06:22 PM
What a great story. I want someone to go out of the vintage typewriter business in front of me.
Posted by: Sue | August 21, 2012 at 07:02 PM
There needs to be an even better word than serendipity to describe this event. Shinybritipity, perhaps.
Posted by: JKaye | August 22, 2012 at 09:39 AM
seriously, you are killing me with this story and those pictures
Posted by: nanette | August 28, 2012 at 04:12 PM